Remind Me How We Used to Be
by LittleTayy
Summary: At this point, Stephanie couldn't answer that because James was just her friend but…he was also something more. Something she didn't know how to explain. Not to herself and definitely not to Paul. That friendship is causing a rift that's not only murky but one hard to come back from for the couple when their relationship is seemingly in jeopardy.


**Remind Me How We Used to Be**

 **Prologue**

* * *

Paul Levesque smiled as he bounded down the hallway and headed for his wife's office. They both worked on the same floor of Titan Towers but on complete opposite sides of the building, something Paul had groaned about when he'd first moved into his office. After all, he'd complained, how were they supposed to sneak in office quickies when she was _so far_ away from him and all? Stephanie had merely snorted at his words, shaking her head as she'd continued on with her work as if he hadn't said anything. He wasn't serious and they both knew it.

Still, the distance at times could be quite annoying. Just knowing he was in the same building as his wife but not being able to see her had Paul all fidgety and annoying at times. A trait his PA had been quick to find out in only his first week on the job. Unfortunately for Dan, his assistant today had happened to be one of those annoying days that all Paul wanted to do was go and annoy his wife and not get any work done at all.

So off he'd gone, traveling to the far side of Titan Towers, passing by Vince's office as quietly as possible lest the man spot him and drag him into some kind of conversation. Not that Paul minded of course, he loved his father in law but at the moment it was the man's daughter he was wanting to see; not him. Rounding the corner, the ex-wrestler smiled eagerly at his wife's PA, Janine as he came to stop in front of the younger woman's desk.

"Is she in Jan?" He asked lightly, gesturing to the closed doors of his wife's office. As much as he wanted to see her, he knew it wouldn't be a good idea to just barge into her office. She could be meeting someone or on the phone or just...wouldn't appreciate it in general. He'd learnt it the hard way, a few times over the first year at the Towers that barging into Stephanie's office was just a big fat **no**.

"Actually," Janine frowned, looking up at him, "Steph went to lunch. About an hour ago. She should be back soon I'd say," the PA told him with a nod, checking the time. "You can wait. I'm sure she wouldn't mind, I just don't know when she'll be back," Janine continued, smiling, before turning back to her computer.

Paul though, couldn't help but frown. Out to lunch? Stephanie rarely went out of the office for lunch and if she had a lunch meeting she didn't bother to take lunch to work. She hated waste. But Paul was sure he'd seen her grab a container of lunch this morning. "Are you sure she said lunch?" He found himself asking, still not having moved from his spot in front of the desk.

This time Janine didn't even stop typing as she replied. "Yes. Lunch. I'm positive," she nodded distractedly. Her focus was obviously on whatever it was she was doing on the computer screen. "She's been out for lunch a lot lately," she tacked on without thinking.

"Oh, right. Okay," He nodded; frown deepening as he took in the PA's words. "I'll just see her later. Thanks Jan," he told the woman as he turned, planning to head back to his own office; all the way on the other side of the floor. As he walked, he couldn't help the oddly curious feeling that settled in his stomach about his wife's whereabouts.

* * *

He watched her as she placed her phone down on the nightstand, heading into the bathroom to do her nightly routine. Her phone buzzed with a message and Paul frowned; she'd been on her phone all night and he was curious just what she was doing. He glanced over at the half shut bathroom door as he reached for her phone. He knew he shouldn't look through it but there was something in the back of his mind that just couldn't tell him to stop.

He frowned as he read over the message on the screen: _Goodnight. xo._ from a James Preston. That begged the question then, who the hell was James Preston and why was he texting his wife at 12:30 at night?

He went into her messages then, body tensing as he pressed into their message log. He skimmed through the messages as he scrolled, frown in place and anger and hurt bubbling inside him. Some of the messages were so personal and she was telling the man things she's barely spoken to him about.

It wasn't long then till she'd finally made it out of the bathroom, smiling until she saw his stony face. She didn't even get a chance to speak before Paul was questioning her.

"Are you having an affair Stephanie?" He asked bluntly, eyes connecting with hers.

"What? No," she shook her head, frowning deeply and stepping forward.

Paul tossed her open phone forward on the bed, showing the messages to James.

"Then who the fuck is James Preston then? And why is he texting you at midnight almost every night? Huh?" Paul growled, standing up from the bed now and stalking towards her.

Stephanie took a step back, again shaking her head. "He's a friend. That's all. I don't understand why you're being like this Paul," she told him, teeth chewing at her bottom lip as she looked up at her husband.

Paul stood up then, in a huff. She couldn't understand? He'd never thought Stephanie was stupid before, but now? He was starting to. "I'm being like this because I read those text messages. None of that is friendly fucking talk," he hissed, very aware of their daughters down the hall.

"What are you talking about?" She questioned confused, not at all sure what the big problem was. James was a friend and nothing had ever happened between them that would be deemed inappropriate. At least, she hadn't thought that anything between them was inappropriate but apparently her husband did and she didn't understand why.

"Do you seriously not understand?" He asked, scoffing as he shook his head at his wife. She was looking at him wide eyed, brows furrowed and it was clear now that she really hadn't thought what she was doing was wrong in anyway. "I saw those messages Stephanie, you told him things you've barely spoken to _me_ about and I'm your Goddamn husband," he snapped, his anger full blown and bubbling now. "We haven't talked like that in _months_ ; you don't ever tell me things like that anymore and yet you're talking about these things with some guy? That I've never even heard of?" He continued on, no longer caring that his voice was rising. "If he's _just a friend_ how come I don't know him?" he asked quietly, voice cold and controlled.

Stephanie's frown deepened knowing his words had truth to them. She had been telling herself that James was just a friend and while there had never been any physical boundaries crossed, she wasn't completely sure anymore if that's all they were; just friends. "I…I don't know," she murmured, the guilt already creasing her features.

It was all Paul needed to scoff, shaking his head as he grabbed at his pillow and made his way around the bed. "That's what I thought," he growled out, glaring at his wife as he made his way out of their bedroom and towards the guest room down the hall.

Stephanie watched him go, knowing better then to try and stop him. He was obviously angry and she knew that there was nothing else she could say tonight that would alleviate his anger. Not only that but she wasn't even sure what to say, not when her own mind was a mess too. Paul had accused her of having an affair and she most definitely wasn't but he was also right that, if James was just a friend, why hadn't she mentioned him?

She slowly sat down on her bed, teeth chewing at her lip. At this point, Stephanie couldn't answer that because James was just her friend but…he was also something more. Something she didn't know how to explain. Not to herself and definitely not to Paul.

* * *

 _AN: I've had this in my head for a long time honestly. Working on it bit by bit and I think it's something a little different, so I hope you like it._

 _Also, I've got a poll going on, on my profile. Please check it out._

 _I hope you liked it. Please review! :) LT._


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